The Architecture of The Argory
The Argory is a country house located in County Armagh, United Kingdom. Built for Walter MacGeough Bond between 1820 and 1824, the structure was designed by the Dublin brothers Arthur and John Williamson. The construction utilizes Caledon stone in coursed ashlar blocks, complemented by Navan limestone for the window sills, quoins, and foundations. The building's silhouette is defined by a clock tower with a cupola, a pediment on each side, and a range with polygonal end pavilions. An imposing archway leads toward the house, which sits on a hillside overlooking a 320-acre wooded estate and the River Blackwater.
The interior remains largely unchanged since 1900. One of the most significant features is a large chamber organ, though records also note a large finger organ with barrels built by James Davis in 1822 for the lobby. The property includes a stable yard containing horse carriages, a harness room, a laundry, and an acetylene gas plant. The grounds feature an avenue of pollarded lime trees known as The Lime Tree walk, which is planted with snowdrops and spring flowers.
The Collection
The house holds a modern art collection belonging to the late owner. The cataloged works within the house include:
- Still Life of Dead Game, 1684 - Jacob van der Kerckhoven
- Harbour Scene (after Claude Lorrain), 1879 - Pietro Antonio Sasso
- Joshua McGeough of Drumsill (1747–1817) - Joseph Wilson
- The Jamaican Doll, 1962 - Michael Lester
- Ada Marion Nichols, Lady MacGeough Bond (1866-1955), 1880 - Mary Cowie Nichols
- Ada Marion Nichols, Lady Bond - Sir James Jebusa Shannon
- Walter McGeough Bond (1790 - 1866) with his Son Edward Staples McGeough Bond (1842 - 1891), 1848 - Hugues Fourau
Estate and Legacy
The property passed through several generations of the MacGeough Bond family, including Joshua Walter MacGeough-Bond and Walter William Adrian MacGeough Bond, before being gifted to the National Trust in 1979. The estate is characterized by its wooded landscape, including an oak plantation and various walking trails. The grounds are used for seasonal activities, such as the annual Christmas Fair and an Easter Activity Trail. The house serves as a site for observing the intersection of 19th-century residential architecture and private art collections.
